Fence-clamp.



R. L. STRINGFBLLOW.

FENCE CLAMP.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 19, 1913. LUQBQ.

Patented Aug. 5, 1913.

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ROBERT L. STR1N-GFELLOW,.OF WHITE BLUEFS, TENNESSEE, ASSIGNOR T0 E. GATTIS &

C0., OF HUNTLAND, TENNESSEE.

FENCE-CLAMP.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 5,1913.

To all whom t may concern Be it known that I, ROBERT L. StR-INGFEL- Low, a citizen of the United States, residing at Vhite Bluffs, in the county of Dickson and State of Tennessee, have invented new and useful Improvements in Fence-Clamps, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates tofence wire clamps for fence wire stretchers and one of the principal objects of the invention is to provide a device of this character having means whereby the clamping members may be readily secured upon the fence wire without the use of bolts'or other similar devices.

pear as the following specific description is read in connection with the accompanying drawing which forms a part of this application, and in which Figurel is a front elevation. Fig. 2 is a side elevation. Fig. 3 is a sectional view on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail transverse sectional view showing a portion of fence wire gripped in between the clamping members. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the wedge.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, 1 and 2 represent clamping bars which are adapted to lie upon opposite sides of the fence wire and be drawn toward each other by the mechanism, which will be hereinafter described, to clamp the wire between the same so that the wire may be stretched by any suitable type of stretcher. Each clamping bar is provided with raised rods or wires 3, the wires 3 on one side alternating with those on opposite sides so that when the members are clamped together, as will be hereinafter described, the fence wire will be forced by certain of the wires into the spaces between other wires upon the opposite clamping member, thereby bending it into wavy form and obtaining a rm grip. The tlamping member 1 has secured thereto the lyoke-shaped bales 4L by means of the staples 5 and each bail is provided at its terminals with eyes G. The clamping bar or member 2 is provided with a plurality of recesses 7 which receive the cam-shaped lever heads 8 5o having projecting from opposite ends thereof the hook heads 9 upon which the co-nnecting hooks 10 are pivoted. The hook heads or studs form a concentric pivoting point of the heads 8 and the eccentric portion of the Further objects of this invention will apl cam is laterally offset with relation thereto so that when the heads are turned in the recesses and the hooks engaged with the eyes 6 of the bails 1, the two clamping bars will be drawn toward each other.

In order to operate the heads 8, each head is provided with a lever 11 extending at right angles thereto from a point adjacent one end and are preferably rounded upon their outer ends so as to receive a pipe or other similar tool, whereby the leverage may be increased when desired. These heads are each provided with an annular groove which is engaged by a staple 12 serving to keep the heads in position in the recesses 7 and to prevent lateral movement of the same upon the clamping bar.

In order to adjust the action of the clamping members upon the fence wire in accordance with the thickness of the wire being operated upon the clamping member 1 has slidably mounted upon the back thereof adjacent each bail member a wedge 13 adapted to extend between the bail and the clamping member. These wedges when driven between the bail and the clamping member will serve to increase the distance between the hook studs 9 and the eyes 6 of the bail members. The wedges are held in operative position upon the clamping member by headed screw studs 111, which pass through slots 15 formed in the wedges, the ends of the slots limiting the movement of the wedges, as will be readily understood. I preferably use a wedge into which the butt is flanged, as shown at 1G, to provide an abutment for driving the wedge from beneath the bail member. lVit-h this type of device the fence wire may be conveniently clamped between the two members in a very short period of time and all bolts and such fastening devices are dispensed with.

It will be noticed that the levers when forced to operative posit-ion carry the hook studs slightly beyond center so that the levers are automatically locked in depressed position and need no auxiliary devices to hold them in place. The lower lever of the clamping member Q, is turned in a reverse direction from the others so as to permit of its operation without being brought into engagement with the ground. It will also be noted that the yoke-shaped bails extend beyond the clamping member 1 a sufficient distance to embrace the clamping member 2 and thus prevent relative lateral movement between the parts when in operative position.

What is claimed is A device of the class described comprising relatively movable clamping membersz yokeshaped bails carried by one of the members and adapted to straddle the other member to prevent relative lateral movement between said members, means carried by the other member for engaging the bails to draw the two members together and wedges carried by the .first member and adapted to be interposed between the same and the bails for increasing the relative distance between the 15 bails and the associated clamping member.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ROBERT L. STRINGFELLOV. Vit-nesses JAMES HOWELL, G. M. CHARLTON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. C. 

